Stagnation Is the Root of Many Problems in the Workplace
3 December 2012
Read by 1674 persons
Title: "Stagnation Is the Root of Many Problems in the Workplace" Out of fear, comfort, or constraint, workers often simply do what is already being done. However, stagnation hinders their creativity and freedom, warns our contributor Philippe Laurent.
[Express yourself] Immobile means not moving, while stagnation prevents movement. Physically, stagnation keeps one in place, preventing movement from "going elsewhere" by forcing it to remain "within bounds." The joints and muscles of a living being are useless. There is only a small step from the rigidity of this inanimate statue to that of one's status.
Practically, stagnation forces one to do the same thing, without being able to draw inspiration from what others are doing, even those who succeed. It prevents one from "doing things differently" because it's not what's usually done. Imagination and dreams are useless, because there's no need to consider change. Finally, in terms of thought, stagnation kills questioning and prevents one from "conceiving." Immobile thought can only think what is thought or must be thought. There is no need or desire to question what is evident, to consider the reason for change. The idea has been corrupted into ideology, profound conviction into sharp principles.
Moving means taking the risk of entering unknown territory
Contrary to the nature of living beings, where does this immobility come from? Doubtless from fear: fear of doing things differently, of standing out from others, of being condemned, of failing. Moving is indeed taking the risk of entering unknown territory, of leaving the pack and finding oneself alone facing others. Doubtless also from presumption: that of thinking that what we are doing is the best solution, not by comparison with others, but simply because it's what we've always done.
Certainly also from a taste for comfort. Who doesn't like the coziness of the humdrum and the softness of slippers? Going outside, you might catch a cold. Let's stay inside and close the windows... and even the shutters! Perhaps also out of practical or intellectual laziness. What we do, we have spent time and effort doing it, so why change? We don't understand why change or we don't want to make the effort to understand.
"We would like to do things differently"
Finally, out of constraint. We would like to do things differently, find a job, go elsewhere, change things internally, change jobs, positions, countries, but our environment is too rigid, the structures too closed and confining, the processes too complicated. Yet, stagnation is at the root of many problems in the workplace. By not moving anymore, the working man becomes ingrained, rigidifies, and gets bored. His "joints", no longer functioning, end up atrophying. He is only good at doing what is asked of him, without being "employable" in another position.
The man who is immobile in his head no longer searches
The man who is immobile in his head no longer searches, but remains with what he knows, without curiosity for what he ignores. He no longer has a thirst for learning but repeats what is said without "really thinking" about it. He does not confront his preconceived ideas, because he is too afraid of losing them. In doing so, he loses more than his ideas because he loses freedom: the freedom to think, to create, to express himself, to do. Everyone thinks the same thing, does the same thing, dresses the same way. The individual copies the masses so as not to be alone, preferring to be led nowhere with everyone else.
An environment where it is customary to think the same thing is especially difficult for a young person because they want and need to move, to understand the why and usefulness of things, of established rules, of the framework. They need a framework but an intelligent one. They want to serve a purpose.
In the company, procedures are essential but they must follow experience and not constrain it. The rigidity of a process makes it inefficient and dangerous, because its objective has disappeared: that of facilitating a high-quality action -and therefore movement-. This also applies to the decision-making process, which must be reactive, especially in times of crisis.
In a stagnant environment, the normal man can no longer live. Reacting against stagnation is therefore quite simply natural. Complaining is not enough. The courageous will react by kicking the anthill, with the risk of creating perilous disorder. The excited will react with exasperation at the risk of falling into agitation or activism. The man of reason and heart will begin by changing himself by going in the direction of his essence. Without dreaming of changing the world, this attitude at least allows him to no longer suffer it.
Philippe Laurent.
Lexpress.fr
Posted online on December 3, 2012.
[Express yourself] Immobile means not moving, while stagnation prevents movement. Physically, stagnation keeps one in place, preventing movement from "going elsewhere" by forcing it to remain "within bounds." The joints and muscles of a living being are useless. There is only a small step from the rigidity of this inanimate statue to that of one's status.
Practically, stagnation forces one to do the same thing, without being able to draw inspiration from what others are doing, even those who succeed. It prevents one from "doing things differently" because it's not what's usually done. Imagination and dreams are useless, because there's no need to consider change. Finally, in terms of thought, stagnation kills questioning and prevents one from "conceiving." Immobile thought can only think what is thought or must be thought. There is no need or desire to question what is evident, to consider the reason for change. The idea has been corrupted into ideology, profound conviction into sharp principles.
Moving means taking the risk of entering unknown territory
Contrary to the nature of living beings, where does this immobility come from? Doubtless from fear: fear of doing things differently, of standing out from others, of being condemned, of failing. Moving is indeed taking the risk of entering unknown territory, of leaving the pack and finding oneself alone facing others. Doubtless also from presumption: that of thinking that what we are doing is the best solution, not by comparison with others, but simply because it's what we've always done.
Certainly also from a taste for comfort. Who doesn't like the coziness of the humdrum and the softness of slippers? Going outside, you might catch a cold. Let's stay inside and close the windows... and even the shutters! Perhaps also out of practical or intellectual laziness. What we do, we have spent time and effort doing it, so why change? We don't understand why change or we don't want to make the effort to understand.
"We would like to do things differently"
Finally, out of constraint. We would like to do things differently, find a job, go elsewhere, change things internally, change jobs, positions, countries, but our environment is too rigid, the structures too closed and confining, the processes too complicated. Yet, stagnation is at the root of many problems in the workplace. By not moving anymore, the working man becomes ingrained, rigidifies, and gets bored. His "joints", no longer functioning, end up atrophying. He is only good at doing what is asked of him, without being "employable" in another position.
The man who is immobile in his head no longer searches
The man who is immobile in his head no longer searches, but remains with what he knows, without curiosity for what he ignores. He no longer has a thirst for learning but repeats what is said without "really thinking" about it. He does not confront his preconceived ideas, because he is too afraid of losing them. In doing so, he loses more than his ideas because he loses freedom: the freedom to think, to create, to express himself, to do. Everyone thinks the same thing, does the same thing, dresses the same way. The individual copies the masses so as not to be alone, preferring to be led nowhere with everyone else.
An environment where it is customary to think the same thing is especially difficult for a young person because they want and need to move, to understand the why and usefulness of things, of established rules, of the framework. They need a framework but an intelligent one. They want to serve a purpose.
In the company, procedures are essential but they must follow experience and not constrain it. The rigidity of a process makes it inefficient and dangerous, because its objective has disappeared: that of facilitating a high-quality action -and therefore movement-. This also applies to the decision-making process, which must be reactive, especially in times of crisis.
In a stagnant environment, the normal man can no longer live. Reacting against stagnation is therefore quite simply natural. Complaining is not enough. The courageous will react by kicking the anthill, with the risk of creating perilous disorder. The excited will react with exasperation at the risk of falling into agitation or activism. The man of reason and heart will begin by changing himself by going in the direction of his essence. Without dreaming of changing the world, this attitude at least allows him to no longer suffer it.
Philippe Laurent.
Lexpress.fr
Posted online on December 3, 2012.
